Billecart-Salmon Vintage 2016

An ideal blend allowing the personality of the Champagne region’s great Pinot Noirs to dominate, combined with the elegance and subtlety of Chardonnays and that signature touch of Pinot Meunier.

The yellow colour has soft golden undertones, naturally enhanced by a fine, dynamic effervescence. A shining, very radiant effect that brings out the full potential of nine years of maturation in our ancestral chalk cellars.

On the nose there is a delicious intensity of precise fruit with citrusy and nutty notes (grapefruit pulp, slivered almonds). A nuanced sensory development built around pastry scents (raw butter, white fruit jelly). A masterful aromatic expression with a refined, refreshing purity.

On the palate we find a charming, tactile delight (chestnut cream, fresh blueberries and shortbread), emphasized by a delicate texture. The wine rises to a distinguished complexity with a persistent finale, crisply structured by the high-quality potential of such a sought-after vintage.

One of the leading families of Champagne, this medium sized, high quality domain is one to be admired. Billecart-Salmon (Pronounced beel-kahr sahl-moh) have a fresh, clean and elegant style. They champion the use of the meunier grape which is often added to other cuvées without fanfare in other houses. The absolutely pristine wine making facilities located in Mareuil-Sur-Aÿ are overseen by multiple generations of the family as well as chef winemaker Francois Domi. The house purposely ferments at a lower temperature elongating the ferment to weeks and not days as can be standard in champagne, which helps capture the pristine nature of the fruit. Every step of the wine making process at the house is artful, right down to the precision of the dosage which is unique for every disgorgement conducted in batches.

73% Grands crus and Premiers crus, of the Montagne de Reims, Côte des Blancs and Vallée de la Marne. 40% Pinot Noir, 33% Chardonnay and 27% Pinot Meunier. Vinification in stainless steel tanks. 2016 vintage. 9 years ageing on lees. 2 g/l dosage.

Enjoy to the fullest with red tuna, papaya and avocado, or with pan-fried foie gras, peaches, verbena, rhubarb and verjuice (prematurely harvested grape juice).